Monthly Archives: January 2013
Wales interim head coach Rob Howley has named Dragons second rower Andrew Coombs to make his debut in the Wales starting team to face Ireland on Saturday.
Coombs will partner Ospreys’ Ian Evans in the second row who returns from injury to start the fixture.
MTN Lions head coach Johan Ackermann has announced the following team to take on the Vodacom Bulls in the Gauteng Cup, taking place this Saturday at Orlando Stadium in Soweto.
Kick-off is at 15:00.
Gloucester centre Billy Twelvetrees will make his England debut in Saturday’s Six Nations match against Scotland at Twickenham. Twelvetrees, 24, replaces Manu Tuilagi and forms a midfield partnership with Brad Barritt of Saracens.
The only other change from the starting XV that beat New Zealand 38-21 in December is Joe Marler in for Alex Corbisiero at loose-head prop.
PUMA has designed a “vintage” commemorative and limited edition jersey to mark the 75th Anniversary celebrations of the Bulls.
The snow is deep and crisp and dangerously uneven by health and safety standards, and Jim Telfer is barking out instructions like a rugby regimental sergeant major.
‘Cookie’s a big b*****d,’ Telfer bellows. ‘He thinks he’s tough, OK. Drive him back into the bloody Tweed.’
His young charges do their best to obey against the accompaniment of the coach, who is now transported into a state of quasi-psychotic frenzy, shouting the mantra ‘low, low, low’.
Stormers team to face the Cheetahs has been announced with Duane Vermeulen as captain of the side.
Die baljagter-flank Deon Stegmann lei Saterdag die Vodacom Bulls in hul voorseisoense wedstryd teen die MTN Lions in die Orlando Stadium in Soweto.
It’s shaping up to be a big week for Graeme Smith. On Monday, he announced his wife is expecting the couple’s second child later this year. On Friday, he will turn 32 and also become the first person to captain a team in 100 Tests, when he leads South Africa against Pakistan in Johannesburg.
For the first year since 1983, one of Free State Rugby’s most loyal servants won’t be directly involved with Free State Rugby. I think it is fitting to pay tribute to a man that offered so much. A humble man, Helgard was a fine player and then played various roles in Free State Rugby. He holds the South African record for the most Currie Cup matches played (142) as well as the Free State record for the most matches played in Free State colours (245). He is still the Sports Manager for the Central University of Technology (SUT) a post he has held for the past 21 years.
This year, the International Rugby Board has introduced 11 law trials that will be implemented from the start of the 2013 season.
The impact of record-breaking retired Springbok Victor Matfield as a coach is already being felt by the Bulls.
England have suffered another injury blow ahead of their Six Nations Championship opener as centre Manu Tuilagi will miss the match due to an ankle injury.
New wing signing Michael Killian has been ruled out of the Southern Kings opening Super Rugby match against the Western Force in Port Elizabeth.
Ireland great Brian O’Driscoll was among several senior players restored by Declan Kidney to the starting XV for Saturday’s Six Nations clash with Wales in Cardiff.
Richmond centre Abigail Chamberlain will make her England Women’s debut in their Six Nations opener against Scotland on Saturday.
Chamberlain, who has played for England A and captained England Sevens, is part of an entirely different backline from the autumn Tests against New Zealand.
Scotland award a debut to wing Sean Maitland, give a first start in six years to his Glasgow Warriors team-mate Dougie Hall at hooker and recall No 8 Johnnie Beattie in their team for Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations Championship opener against England at Twickenham.
Scottish Rugby announced on Thursday that it had secured the biggest sponsorship deal in its history.
New kit partner, Macron, will come on board in the summer to become official kit supplier for all Scotland representative teams and the professional clubs, Edinburgh Rugby and Glasgow Warriors.
The RBS Six Nations Championship is due to kick off this weekend. The first game of this year’s tournament sees current holder Wales playing at home against Ireland this Saturday afternoon.
Southern Kings captain Luke Watson has said that SARU’s decision to relegate the Lions was unfair and expressed sadness at the Lions’ Super Rugby exit.
Speaking to SportsTalk in a radio interview, Watson sympathised with the Lions’ plight, and said fans had every right to feel aggrieved.
The Vodacom Bulls could unleash a new dream midfield pairing ahead of their Gauteng Challenge game against the MTN Lions in Soweto on Saturday as they begin their preparations for a tough Vodacom Super Rugby season ahead.
Any expansion of Super Rugby in the near future is likely to leave the Pacific Islands out in the cold in favour of the United States or Canada.
SANZAR chief executive Greg Peters stated earlier this month that they are looking at United States and Canada after they were included in the Pacific Nations Cup.
Veteran Springbok flank Juan Smith could be the bolter in the Cheetahs team when they face the Stormers in a pre-season match in Bloemfontein on Saturday.
Promising Junior Springbok and Sharks Under 21 tighthead prop, Nick Schonert was advised by Springbok Jannie du Plessis to get as much game time as possible at tighthead, in order to develop his potential. This influenced his decision to move to Bloemfontein, and join the Shimlas. The fact that Kwazulu Natal only have a side in the Varsity Shield probably added impetus to his decision to move.
Former Springbok coach Peter de Villiers will make his Varsity Shield debut when his FNB UWC side take on the FNB TUT Vikings in Bellville on Monday. Two games will be Televised on Supersport.
- 16:30 – 18:45 SS1 FNB Varsity Shield – University Of Kwazulu-Natal v University Of Fort Hare
- 18:45 – 21:00 SS1 FNB Varsity Shield – University Of The Western Cape v Tshwane University Of Technology
In an official Blue Bulls Media release, the Blue Bulls Rugby Union have extended their condolences to Vodacom Blue Bulls player Tony Jantjies, brother Elton and mother Alma on the loss of their father and husband Thomas.
The South Africa Under 20 training squad scored a convincing 52-19 win over UCT at a wind-swept Brookside on Saturday to end their training camp on a high note.
Playing into a stiff breeze in the first half, the SA Under 20’s did well to score three tries on their way to building a halftime lead of 19-12.
The Kings’ request to the South African Rugby Union (SARU) to allow them more than two foreign players in Super Rugby has been rejected.
Lions (7) 33 / 17 (12) Cheetahs (Final Score)
The MTN Lions and Toyota Cheetahs did battle in a MTN Lions Challenge and Super Rugby wrm-up game at Ellis Park, Johannesburg at 17:05 SA Time.
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & CSN on TV in SA.
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Lions hooker Martin Bezuidenhout will join the DHL Stormers at the start of next week, as injury cover up front.
South Africa and New Zealand did battle in the 3rd and last ODI in the Series at Senwes Park, Potchefstroom on Friday 25 January 2013.
This was the Live Game Article for the match.
New Zealand won the toss and chose to bat first.
South Africa won the match with a 6 off the last possible ball in their 50 overs, needing 3 runs from the last ball, and getting those last 3 and 3 more with a magnificent 6 by Ryan McLaren.
New Zealand won the ODI Series 2 – 1 and now heads home, whilst pakistan has already landed in South Africa.
The 2013 Varsity Rugby season kicked-off in fine style at the Serengeti Wildlife & Golf Estate Clubhouse in Kempton Park on Monday, with an exciting air of unpredictability hanging over the main tournament.
Now in its sixth season, the 2013 FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International remains the headline act of Varsity Rugby, with the three additional competitions – the Varsity Shield, the Varsity Young Guns and the Steinhoff Koshuisrugby Championships – providing a more than able ‘back-up’ to the Cup.
SA Rugby reports that Sharks prop Dale Chadwick is the latest injury casualty. He has a stress fracture in his foot and will likely be out for between four and six weeks. This leaves the Sharks decidedly thin in front row depth.
Scotland’s interim head coach Scott Johnson stressed at the RBS 6 Nations Championship official launch in London today that he would not “chase rainbows” during the course of the competition.
England flanker Tom Johnson has been ruled out of the Six Nations with a knee injury.
Both Gloucester fly-half Freddie Burns and London Irish prop Alex Corbisiero are doubtful for the opening two matches against Scotland and Ireland because of knee problems.
Leicester centre Manu Tuilagi is also a doubt for the Calcutta Cup match with a leg injury.
Following on his controversial interview with Oprah Winfrey, more shocking details of Lance Armstrong were revealed. The doping scandal is but the tip of the iceberg.